I have a glass slate. I scraped off a spot with the sandpaper a few times, but it still doesnt work very well. Should I scrape o

[Cowiche Buddy]

I have a glass slate. I scraped off a spot with the sandpaper a few times, but it still doesnt work very well. Should I scrape off more or get a new call?

[pjsabella]

Try getting a new scraper. I know every once in a while my scrapers get oil on them because of a number of things (face paint, finger prints, etc.) and when this happens the scraper doesn't make enough friction with the slate. Try sanding the end of the scraper or get a new scraper. You can even make one with a dried corn husk. hope this helps

[pineywoods]

For a glass slate, the best thing is a piece of stone specially made for the purpose. Woodhaven makes one and I think Primos has one in a combination tool. I used sandpaper for years, but when I got one of these stone tools, the quality of calls from the glass slates improved 100%. A small medium to coarse grit whetstone might do the job, just try in in one small area first.

[charlie elk]

Try a small piece of drywall screen available at most hardware or building stores for pennies. Cut a piece about an inch square and rub across the glass in one direction leaving light grooves as the grain in wood would look. You can also use it to dress your synthetic strikers those are usually more the problem than the pot call surface.
My favorite way to dress a wood striker is with my pocket knife pulling it across the grain of the striker's end. This clears the grain better than sandpaper giving it more bite.
later,
charlie

[huntfishtrap]

Hmm, that's interesting charlie, I've never heard of using drywall screen to condition calls, but I will have to keep that in mind.
Otherwise, I agree with pineywoods, if sandpaper isn't cutting it for you then one of the specialty conditioning stones might be needed, I personally only find one necessary on crystal surfaces, not glass, but who knows.
The other thing you could try is very lightly roughing up the end of you striker, sometimes if they get too smooth they won't "grip" the playing surface well enough.

[charlie elk]

huntfishtrap,
Drywall screen was not an original idea of mine. I picked it from Scott Ellis of Woodhaven calls. They now include a small piece with all their pot calls as do many other quality call makers.
The stones made for this purpose work OK too.
I use both in order to put a different texture on each side of the pot. Gives you 2 different sounds from the same call.
later,
charlie